Challenges Experienced by Novice Counsellors
3.7 Coping
To understand the coping strategies novice counsellors used in dealing with the challenges and difficulties they had faced, participants were asked the question
‘When in difficulty how often do you…?’ and were given 22 options that listed out coping strategies. The respondents had to rate these coping strategies on a scale of 0–5 (where 0 = Not at all and 5 = Very often), in order to determine how often they used them. The results on DPCCQ suggested that the coping strat- egies that the counsellors used most often were discussing the problem which poses a challenge with a colleague and consultation about a challenging case with a more experienced counsellor/therapist. Both these items received a mean rating of 3.27 (SD = 1.14 and 1.01) where three stood for ‘moderate’ (refer to Table 3.2).
Counsellors often postponed the work of therapy to take care of a client’s more pressing needs. This item received a mean rating of 3.17 (SD = 5.56).
The lowest ratings were received by the items ‘criticizing a client for causing you trouble’ or ‘showing your frustration to the client’. The mean ratings for these items were below 1 which stood for rarely. The novices never or rarely criticized their clients or showed their frustration to their clients. It can be said that the nov- ice counsellors used positive coping strategies rather than those that can be det- rimental to themselves or to the client, while maintaining a professional stance towards the client.
Banerjee and Basu (2012, unpublished), in their study, found that the highest rated coping strategy used by psychotherapists was trying to see the problem from a different perspective, which had a mean rating of 3 (SD = 1.02). The psycho- therapists also consult relevant literature, reviewed their problems privately and discussed the problem with a colleague. The strategies used by novices related more to their professional others like colleagues and seniors, while more experi- enced therapists use strategies that related more to themselves like referring to lit- erature or reviewing the problem themselves. This could be because novices are more likely to require support from external sources as their therapeutic self is in its nascent stages of development. This was also seen in the novice’s need for sup- port and guidance from supervisors as well as peers.
In the qualitative interview participants were asked about how they had coped with the challenges they faced since starting practice. The participants’ coping strategies could be categorized as those related to themselves and those related to others, including both professional others and significant others.
3.7.1 Coping Strategies Related to Others
The results from the DPCCQ were reflected in the interview data. The novices consulted and asked for help from professional others, i.e. supervisors and col- leagues. As seen in the quantitative data seeking help from other professionals, both supervisors and colleagues received the highest mean ratings. Novices got support from their professional others in the form of guidance with difficult cases and coping with challenges faced in the organization.
The participants looked at their supervisors as a guide and a teacher. Case dis- cussions and mock sessions with the supervisor and his/her inputs were consid- ered valuable, especially in cases where they felt stuck or unsure of how to move
Table 3.2 Coping strategies used by novice counsellors in the DPCCQ
Coping strategies Mean ratings SD
Discussing the problem with a colleague 3.27 1.14
Consulting about the case with a more experienced counsellor/
therapist
3.27 1.01
Postponing the work of therapy so as to take care of a client’s more immediate needs
3.17 5.56
Trying to see the problem from a different perspective 3.00 1.02
Consulting relevant articles or books 2.84 1.37
Reviewing privately with yourself how the problem has arisen 2.67 1.21 Giving yourself permission to experience difficult or disturbing
feelings
2.44 1.28
Modifying your therapeutic stance or approach with a client 2.44 1.14 Seeing whether you and your client can together deal with the
difficulty
2.17 1.34
Involving another professional or agency in the case 2.10 1.35 Signing up for a conference or workshop that might bear on the
problem
2.04 1.40
Inviting collaboration from a client’s friends or relatives 2.04 1.33
Hoping that things will improve eventually 1.97 1.47
Seeking some form of alternative satisfaction away from therapy 1.90 1.21 Stepping out of the counsellor/therapist role in order to take some
urgent action on a client’s behalf
1.80 1.13
Making changes in your therapeutic contract with a client 1.77 0.86 Exploring the possibility of referring the client on to another
therapist
1.74 1.20
Sharing your experience of the difficulty with your client 1.40 1.04
Seriously considering terminating therapy 1.20 1.24
Avoid dealing with the problem for the present 1.04 1.16
Criticizing a client for causing you trouble 0.54 0.94
Showing your frustration to the client 0.54 1.04
ahead. The supervisor also helped them deal with other issues apart from therapy or counselling that came up at the work place. The supervisor was seen as some- one who had experience in the profession and had navigated the same waters.
I would always go and discuss it with the senior psychologist. Even if it was a minor thing or something… So they’ve really helped me out with my cases, and whatever issues I had regarding psychology. And even if I didn’t understand the meaning of a word or if I’m not understanding a disorder correctly, or if I’m not understanding some therapy, they would explain. (Diya, 24 years)
In line with the findings of the current study, a number of research studies report that for novices, supervision is the most important and enduring source of influence and is vital for their professional development (Bischoff et al. 2002;
Orlinsky and Rønnestad 2005; Bernard and Goodyear 2009). Orlinsky and Rønnestad (2005), in a study of 4000 novice counsellors, found that supervision was rated as the most important factor influencing their development.
Many of the counsellors in the study were working with other counsellors who were also novices. Discussing cases with their peers was also reported as helpful as it provided clarity on issues and gave new perspectives. Brainstorming about cases, sharing the lessons and challenges helped counsellors learn from each oth- er’s experiences. It also made them realize that many of the issues they found diffi- cult to deal with and the feeling of being stuck were experienced by their peers as well. Peers helped and influenced novice counsellors’ development by providing support, helping them deal with their work stresses and adapt to the work envi- ronment. This helped develop a sense of camaraderie with their peers and col- leagues who were also at the same stage of development and were facing similar challenges. Bischoff et al. (2002) also found that peers were an important source of influence on novice therapists because they helped novices make sense of their internal experience.
And of course working with my colleague also helps because there is a support from somebody who is doing the same job and comes from the same training and knows what it is. (Rahul, 23 years)
Participants found that support from significant others also helped them deal with their difficulties. Two of the novices mentioned that their families were their sup- port systems, while one of the counsellors mentioned her intimate partner. Novices utilized their significant others as support systems in terms of sharing their diffi- culties with them and getting encouragement from them.
3.7.2 Coping Strategies Related to the Self
Two of the participants mentioned that they tried to deal with their problems and challenges themselves. They utilized strategies like using positive self-talk and keeping themselves motivated despite failures or roadblocks. One of the
counsellors spoke about the importance of having faith in yourself and your skills in order to cope with your difficulties.
I said you just don’t allow yourself to think that if one case has gone badly it’s not good and you are never going to be able to deal with it again. So it’s just that having faith in yourself. Having faith that if it’s not going well sometimes, it’s not that all the other cases are going to be like that. Telling yourself that is quite important. And I think when I’ve done that it has helped. (Rahul, 23 years)
Self-related strategies also included reading books, consulting research journals or articles and watching movies or documentaries.
It was seen that novice counsellors utilized a range of coping strategies to deal with the challenges they faced. These strategies involved seeking help from their peers and supervisors, as well, as utilizing internal and external resources.